Criminal Charge Against Graffiti Artist Maxim Piakarski Reduced

Now Piakarski is accused under Article 341 of the Criminal Code “Desecration of facilities and property damage.”

Today one of the defendants in the criminal case opened for a patriotic graffiti, Maxim Piakarski, went for questioning by the Department of the Investigative Committee of Minsk (Sapiorau Street, 7). The interrogation lasted for about two hours.

There the guy was informed that the charge in his criminal case had been reclassified. Now Piakarski is accused under Article 341 of the Criminal Code, “Desecration of facilities and property damage.” This article provides for a fine, community service or detention for up to 3 months. Previously Piakarski had been accused under Article 339 part 2 of the Criminal Code – “hooliganism committed by a group of persons”, which provides for a punishment of deprivation of liberty for up to 6 years.

Maxim Piakarski also said to Nasha Niva that he had been acquainted with of the results of graffiti examinations, and experts had not found any signs of extremism in them.

“I pleaded not guilty. I insisted that it was an administrative case at maximum, not a criminal one,” – Piakarski said.

Other defendants in the case, Viachaslau Kasinerua and Vadzim Zharomski, are likely to be acquainted with the ruling about reducing the charges as well in the next few days.

We remind that on August 11 five men were violently arrested on suspicion of involvement in three criminal cases: painting two graffiti in Belarusian, “Belarus Must Be Belarusian,” and “Revolution of consciousness is already underway”, and painting over a social billboard with an image of policemen. The Investigative Committee accused Maxim Piakarski, Vadzim Zharomski and Viachaslau Kasinerau under Article 339 part 2, “Hooliganism committed by a group of persons.”